


Blue Means Freedon

by Daretodream66



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Captain America Steve Rogers, Her names Muffin and she has kittens, M/M, Modern Steve Rogers, Super Soldier Serum, Tattoo Artist Steve Rogers, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, original cat character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-16 14:50:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17551757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daretodream66/pseuds/Daretodream66
Summary: Winter doesn't know who he is.  Steve's a tattoo artist that meets him.  Tony is a genius.  Captain America is born.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Those that have been reading the sequel to Chances Are know that I'm having trouble with some of the chapters. I need to stop for a day or so and let the characters talk to me. So, I went back into the insane amount of stories I have for the fandom and did some rewrites to this story. I hope you like it.

He’s so small. Winter sits atop the building opposite the tattoo shop and watches as he unlocks the door.  He seems almost frail, but after several months of watching, he knows frail is not a word to describe the artist.  Winter isn’t trying to be creepy, but he just can’t stay away from End of the Line.  It’s not a big place, but has several artists that work in the shop.  But it’s the small blond that captured Winter’s attention.  He hadn’t meant for it to happen. 

He’d heard yelling in an alley a few months back and had gone in to see the tiny blond taking a swing at a much bigger fella. The big guy had a hand digging into the arm of a young girl, who was crying for help, and the tiny guy was trying to save her.  Winter entered the fight with a simple grunt.

The guy had turned to make a comment about Winter minding his own business, but had taken one look at the soldier and run for the hills. The little guy helped the girl up and called for an ambulance.  When he turned to tell the soldier the police would want his statement, Winter had been gone.  Okay, not really gone, but on the roof across from the alley.  He watched the little guy help the girl and deal with the police and EMTs.  Not a drop of fear in him anywhere.

Winter was captivated by him and spent the next couple of months following him. He didn’t know why.  Couldn’t put his finger on what it was about him.  He was like an avenging angel full of fiery fury and righteous indignation.  He fought for what he thought was right, no matter the cost to himself.  Then he turned around and created some of the most beautiful art that walked around the streets of Brooklyn on varying bodies.

Winter might have a crush.

Winter didn’t really know anything about himself. He knew that he was from Brooklyn, but couldn’t remember when he lived here and also didn’t recognize anything.  He knew he spoke numerous languages, but didn’t remember ever learning them.  He knew he was a trained soldier, but couldn’t remember ever being in the military.  He knew he had a metal arm, but didn’t remember losing the real one or having the metal one put on.  He called himself Winter, because he knew that he’d been called The Winter Soldier, but couldn’t remember why or who it was that called him that.  Winter was a mess.  He also hated the name Winter.

Winter knew a lot about the tiny blond. He knew he was an artist that owned End of the Line Body Art.  He knew that he had many friends, but no one special that he went home to.  He knew that he liked men and women, but seemed to lean more towards men.  He loved animals and spent way too much money on food for the neighborhood cats.  He knew that he had a wicked sense of humor and survived on coffee and sarcasm.  He didn’t have any social media because he thought it was too impersonal.  Winter agreed. He knew that there were many ailments that ravaged his body, but never let it get him down.  And he knew that when the sun hits him just right, he glowed like that avenging angel.  His hair was blond and his eyes were blue.  And blue was the color of Winter’s freedom.  His name is Steve.

Winter was in trouble, but he couldn’t bring himself to care as long as he could see the blue of Stevie’s eyes. Winter had given him the nickname a few weeks after watching him.  Yeah, Winter had a crush.

Steve had a routine and it made it easy for Winter to follow him and keep tabs on him. He knew when Stevie was supposed to take each of his medications and when the weather got cooler or too hot to keep an extra eye on him.  He didn’t know why, but he needed to protect Steve. 

It was Tuesday, just before Thanksgiving and Steve had lunch with Sam. Steve and Sam were friends, at first Winter thought it was something more.  That was squashed the second time Winter watched them have lunch and a red head had joined them, cuddled into Sam’s side. 

Winter liked Sam. He gave Steve good advice, but he would disappear from time to time and Winter found out he was part of a group called the Avengers.  They fought for all the things Steve believed in, so Winter decided he liked them.  Sam’s call sign was Falcon.  Winter found out the red heads call sign was Widow.  He didn’t like that name.  It made him nervous, but he still kept watch over Steve and Steve seemed to like her.  So that was something.  He trusted Steve.

The morning of Thanksgiving, Winter was on the roof of the building across from Steve’s apartment. He watched as Steve prepared for the hoard of people that would be coming for dinner.  But at 8 AM, he exited the building carrying a container and a cup of coffee.  He made his way across the street and into the building that Winter was currently using.  He didn’t know what to do.  Who was Steve going to see?  He’d never been in this building before.  Did he meet someone?  Did Winter miss him meeting a new person?  While contemplating all of these questions the door to the roof opened.

Winter hid himself in the shadows. “I know you’re up here.  I know you’ve been following me for months.  I also know you’re the guy from the alley.”  Winter hears him come closer, but stops.  “I’m leaving this for you to eat.  I have a habit of feeding strays.”  Steve leaves the roof as quickly as he came.  Finally coming out of hiding, Winter picks up the coffee and takes a long drink.  It’s really good coffee with some kind of flavoring in it.  He can’t place it, but likes it.  The container is filled to the brim with eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuits.  It’s the best meal Winter can remember having.  Taped to the bottom of the container is a piece of paper.  There’s a drawing of Winter from the alley and a note.

_Dear Mystery Guy,_

_I don’t know why you’re following me. Sam and Natasha tell me you’ve been doing it since you saved me in the alley.  Thanks for that by the way.  I really hope you aren’t a serial killer with the intent to harm me, but I don’t think you are.  I can feel you when you’re there, watching, protecting.  I don’t guess you’ll come for dinner tonight, but I’ll bring you some food.  Don’t go.  Don’t get scared and leave.  I’ll see you soon._

_Steve_

Winter could be falling for Steve.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winter gets fed and saves Steve. Winter is Bucky Barnes.

As promised, Steve returns that evening, with all of his friends sitting around the table and brings a much bigger container to the roof. He takes the smaller one back with him.  Winter waits until Steve is seated at the table with his friends.  Then he opens the container and when Steve starts to eat, Winter does too.  He moans around the first bite.  He eats when Steve eats and pauses when Steve stops to talk or laugh.  He’s beautiful when he laughs.  Yeah, Winter is definitely falling for Steve.

The food gone and the cold night air coming, Winter grabs a blanket and wraps it around his shoulders. He doesn’t realize he’s dozed off until he wakes with a start. 

He dreamed.                                                                                                                                                                 

Winter never dreams, but he dreamed. He was in a uniform, but not a current uniform.  He’s laughing with other men.  It comes to him in a flash.  He remembers them.  Closing his eyes, he silently recites their name.  The Howling Commandos.  He was part of The Howling Commandos.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t know what that is, but that they were good and decent.  He had an arm then.

 

Over the next couple of weeks, he still follows Steve, but he acquires a notebook and starts writing down everything he can remember from dreams he’s started having. He’s nearly filled one notebook and goes to get another from the A&P.  They don’t call them that anymore, but that’s how Winter thinks of them.  Steve is working on an elaborate piece, with swirls of color and delicate patterns.  Winter writes while Steve works. 

Late one night Steve locks up and heads home. The weather is cold now and Steve doesn’t seem to do well when it’s really cold.  Winter keeps a close eye on him and that’s the only reason he notices.  Steve’s steps slow and Winter hears him curse, then lean over.  His breathing is off.  He’s across the street before Steve hits the ground.  Cradling him, Winter hoists him into his arms.  He weighs next to nothing.  He feels so good in Winter’s arms.  Winter makes his way through the dark streets to a 24 hours ER three blocks down. 

Steve wakes slowly, groaning and coughing. Winter sits up in the chair, hoping that Steve doesn’t freak out.  When he is fully awake, he looks around, eyes settling on Winter.  He smiles.  “Hi.”

Winter doesn’t answer because he doesn’t use his voice. Ever.  He knows that when he uses his voice pain happens.  Not pain caused by disuse, but there’s a vague memory of him talking and being beaten and tortured because of it.  So, he doesn’t talk, just in case.  But Winter does reach out, taking Steve’s hand and tries to smile.

“Do you talk?” Steve tries to sit up, but doesn’t get far.  Winter helps.  Steve looks into his eyes.  “You’re really beautiful.”

Winter shakes his head. He isn’t beautiful.  He knows that.

“Yes, you are.” Steve doesn’t let go of his hand.  “Are you unable to talk?”

Winter gives a half shrug.

“I want to know more about you.” Steve tries to get him to look, but Winter keeps his eyes downcast.  “I want to understand why you keep following me.  You aren’t going to hurt me are you?”

Winter’s eyes jerk up to Steve’s and he shakes his head vehemently.

“So, you’re just my guardian angel?”

Winter quirks a smile.

“Now I like that. I like you smiling.”  Steve wants to say more, but there are voices outside the door.  Winter turns to the window, but before crawling out he hands Steve a notebook.  Taking one last look at Steve and brushing a stray hair from his forehead, Winter climbs out the window as the door opens.

Sam and the red head come rushing in. “Steve, what the hell happened?”

Steve explains everything to them, but doesn’t tell them about the notebook. He carefully hid it under the blanket before they came in.  That is his, well technically it’s Winter’s, but it’s okay if Steve wants to call it his…for now.

The following day Steve is released from the hospital with strict instructions to stay home for a couple of days. Sam gets him take away and gets him settled on the couch after a shower.  He plans to stay, but his phone goes off and he’s out the door.  Winter sits on the roof watching Steve through the window.  He pulls the notebook from his bag and starts to read.  Winter knows what’s on the pages, what Steve’s about to find out.

_I don’t know who I am. I call myself Winter because it’s all I know right now.  I started dreaming and I know I need to write everything down, so I don’t forget again.  I should start at the beginning though.  I think it’s all because of Steve.  I’ve been following Steve for months.  I don’t know why, but I just feel like I have to make sure he’s safe.  I’m falling for him.  I don’t want to, but I can’t help it.  He’s a better man than I’ll ever be.  I don’t know how I know that, but it feels true._

_They called me The Winter Soldier, but I don’t know who they are. I just know they were bad and I had to get away from them.  I don’t want to be bad._

_I’m going to write everything I can remember and hope that some day I’ll piece it all together. Maybe when I’m whole, Steve will want to know who I am.  Maybe he’ll want to be my friend._

Steve reads all day and into the evening. He goes back through the writing over and over.  By late evening, he’s crying onto the pages.  He gets up and looks at the rooftop across the way.  He can’t see Winter, but he knows he’s there.  Slowly, he opens the window over the fire escape.  Backing away, he goes back to the couch, turning off the lamp, he waits.  He wakes several hours later cradled against a broad, strong chest.  Carefully he’s placed in bed and covered.  “Don’t go, Winter.  Stay.”

So, Winter goes to the couch and sleeps. He wakes the next morning to the smell of coffee and bacon.  Steve is humming to himself and dancing around the kitchen.  Winter smiles genuinely, watching.  Steve turns around and freezes, blushing furiously.  “Oh…uh…hi.”  He waves the spatula at Winter and starts to giggle.  “You caught me.”

Winter huffs a laugh and lays his cheek against the back cushion to watch. Steve’s so pretty.  It makes Winter ache to look at him.

“Hey, you want to shower before breakfast?” Winter perks up.  “I have some clothes that belong to Sam that I think might fit you.”  He looks hopeful and Winter nods.  “Okay, cool.  It’s down the hall to the left.  Towels are in the cabinet under the sink.”

The shower is absolute heaven. Steaming hot water that relieves the tense feeling he’s been carrying for years.  He thinks years anyway.  When he gets out, after a ridiculously long time, there are clothes on the counter.  The sweats and sweater are soft and feel so much better than what he had been wearing.  He enters the kitchen and Steve is finishing up the waffles.  “Well, look at you.  Feel better?”

Winter nods and his stomach grumbles. Steve laughs.  “I guess I better feed you.”

They eat in companionable silence for a time, then Steve clears his throat. “Uh, I was doing some research this morning when I got up.  I don’t want to butt in where you don’t want me, but I think I might have some answers for you.”

Winter quirks an eyebrow trying to figure out how this small, beautiful angel could help him find out who he is, but also doesn’t doubt that if anyone could do it, it’s Steve. “So I took some of the information from your journal and started searching.  I figured it couldn’t have been anything recent, so I did a general search for The Howling Commandos.”  He seems distressed.  “I want to ask you something and I know you won’t answer, but could you at least nod.”  Winter nods.  “Good, good.”  Steve gets up and goes to get his computer.  He sits it on the table, logs in and turns the screen for Winter to see.  What’s there is so shocking that Winter stands abruptly and knocks the chair over.  “SSShhhh, it’s okay.  Don’t panic and please don’t run.”

That was Winter’s first instinct, but he doesn’t simply because Steve asked him not to. There’s a picture on the screen and it’s Winter with a group of men.  They are the men from his dream and there’s a woman there too.  Steve reaches out, but doesn’t lay a hand on him, just letting him know that Steve is there.  Winter reaches out and takes Steve’s hand.  “W-w-who i-is th-that?”

He tears his eyes away from the screen and looks at Steve, who is crying. Tears cascade down his cheeks and Winter wants to wipe them away.  Steve should not be crying.  Steve should never cry.  “You can talk.”  Winter nods and Steve gets up to sit the chair upright.  He sits again and so does Winter.  “That’s you.  These guys…”  Steve points at the others in the photo.  “are the Howling Commandos and that…”  He points to the woman.  “is Peggy Carter, founder of SHIELD.”  Steve takes his hand again.  “Does the name James Buchannan Barnes mean anything to you?”

It’s like a bolt of lightning, but an undercurrent of calm washes over him. “That’s me.”

Steve nods excitedly. “Yes, you are James Barnes. You’re family called you Bucky.”

And that’s the last piece. He knows, without a doubt, that he’s Bucky Barnes.  No more Winter, now he’s Bucky.  “Bucky.”

Steve grins and it’s the best thing that Winter, no Bucky, has ever seen. “You want me to call you Bucky?”

He nods furiously. “Yes, Bucky.”  Then he’s filled with questions.  They are coming so fast that he can’t process them all at once.  He whimpers, clasping his head, and Steve squeezes his hand. 

“Let’s go sit on the couch and I’ll tell you everything I know.” They leave the dishes and carry their coffee to the sofa.  Sitting against the arm of the couch, Steve pulls Bucky down to lounge against him.  Bucky tries to pull away, afraid that he’ll hurt the smaller man.  “Now don’t start treating me frail and shit, Barnes.  I’d hate to get mad at you so soon.”  Bucky huffs a laugh and leans into Steve.  “From what I could find, you were born in 1917.  Here in Brooklyn, by the way.  I knew I liked you for a reason.”  Again he chuckles and Steve wraps an arm around him and pulls him even closer. He hasn’t been touched in a kind way by anyone in so long.  He sinks into the feeling. “You joined the army and fought in World War II with the Howling Commandos.  You were their sniper.”  He hesitates then pushes on.  “In ’45 you went off the side of a train during a mission and were declared missing in action.”  Wrapping his other arm around the larger man, Steve’s breath hitches.  “I found one reference to you in an article that Peggy Carter gave in the ‘80’s, but nothing after that.  Here’s the thing Buck…”

The nickname makes Bucky smile and he sits up to look at Steve. “What?”

“I think that I could get some help from Sam and Nat. You know who they are, right?”

“Avengers.”

“Yeah, that’s right and between them and Tony I think we could uncover what really happened to you. How you ended up here, following a half pint artist around all day.”

Bucky leans his head up and nuzzles into Steve’s neck. “Like my half pint artist.” 

Steve blushes holding Bucky closer. “Yours, huh?”

Bucky hides his face against Steve’s sweater. Steve to rub his cheek on Bucky’s head, enjoying how soft it is.

He swallows thickly and kisses the top of Bucky’s head. “I don’t even know you really, but I want you here.  Promise you won’t leave, Bucky.”

Bucky turns in Steve’s arms to lay his head against Steve’s chest. “Not goin anywhere.”  They fall asleep and end up spooned with Steve between Bucky and the back of the couch.  Even in sleep, Bucky doesn’t want to do anything, but protect Steve.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve meets with Tony and Bucky gets the care that he deserves.

Steve met Tony through Sam. At first he didn’t like the arrogant billionaire, but the asshole has grown on him.  Tony is everything Steve dislikes on the surface, but underneath, he’s a really decent guy that wants to do good.  When he married Pepper, they had come into the shop and had tattoos done on their ring fingers.  Tony had jumped and flinched throughout the process, but Pepper had sat chatting animatedly with Steve while he worked.  Steve really liked Pepper.  She was smart and had a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. 

So, when Steve shows up at Avenger’s Tower, Tony is a little surprised. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Pepper’s favorite artist.  What can I do for you Steven?”  Tony indicates a chair and Steve sits.  “Coffee, water,?”

“Uh, water would be good.” Tony gets the water and notices how nervous Steve is.

He sits next to Steve instead of behind his desk. He only sits there when he wants to intimidate, but he’s got a soft spot for Steve that he’d never admit to anyone.  He takes a relaxed position, leaning back.  “What brought you all the way up here?”

Steve sits the glass down and thinks he may have made a seriously bad move. He gets up and goes to the window.  The view is incredible, but all he can think about is Bucky.  Sitting at home waiting.  He scans the rooftops, just to see if the sniper followed him.  He smiles at that thought.  “I need a favor.”  Tony perks up.  He loves doing favors because it gives him an insight into the person asking.  Tells him what kind of person he’s dealing with.  Steve is a closed book to Tony.  He is, in truth, someone that Tony admires for his tenacity and courage.  With as many health issues as he’s got, it never stops him from doing what’s right.  He fights everyday for every breath and Tony can’t help that he finds it heroic.

“Shoot. If I can make it happen I will.”  Steve turns, surprise written on his face.  “Let me guess, you thought I’d be an asshole about it.”

“Well you are a narrsacistic douche most of the time.” Steve is grinning.

“You wound me, but it is true.” Tony gets that Steve is stalling because he’s really wound tight.  “Come on, what could be so bad?” Steve goes back over to the chair and sits, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees.  He starts telling Tony about meeting Winter in the alley and everything after.  When he’s done, he looks up at Tony.

“I know it sounds insane, but I swear that it’s all true and I need help from you, to help him.”

Tony is shell shocked. “You have The Winter Soldier living with you and you call him Bucky?” 

“Well…yeah.” Tony starts to laugh.  He gets up and opens a vault behind his desk.  He goes in and comes out carrying a file about three inches thick. 

“You’re going to want to brace yourself for what’s in here. We’ve known about the Soldier for years, but could never prove anything. And we thought he was somewhere in Siberia.  Little did I know, he’s been following you around.”  He sits on the sofa by the window and starts to spread the file out.  Steve makes his way over.  “Before you start reading this, let me tell you a story.  If you repeat it, I’ll deny ever having said anything to you.”  Steve nods.  “Sergeant James Buchannan Barnes went off the side of a train in ’45, just like you read, but he didn’t die.  Hydra found him.  They’d had him once before and injected him with something, we aren’t sure what because we never had a sample.  It’s the reason he survived the fall.”  Steve is spreading out the pictures.  “They did really horrible things to him, Steve.  The reason he didn’t remember anything was because they used a machine on him that wiped his memory.  They did it before and after ever mission.”  Tony pulls out a picture of a chair with a menicing looking head piece.  Steve swallows thickly.  “Steve, he’s an assassin that has killed dozens of people.”

“I don’t give a fuck who they made him into, Bucky is not that monster.”

Tony nods. “I get it, but I want you to know who you have sleeping on your couch.”  Steve doesn’t make eye contact and blushes.  Tony arches an eyebrow.  “So, not staying on the couch then.  Got it.”  He shows Steve a picture of Bucky and he appears to be sleeping.  “The reason he doesn’t look any older is because of this.  They perfected a cryostasis unit and after the missions would wipe him, then freeze him.”

Steve shudders. “How did he even survive that?”

“We think it’s the serum he was injected with, but without him, we can’t be sure.” Steve spends the next hour going through the file.  He starts to cry and has to stop.  “Rogers listen, this guy means something to you, I don’t pretend to understand that, but he could be dangerous.  If you brought him here, we could…”

Tony doesn’t finish because for the first time ever, he’s confronted with a Steve that seems bigger than his 5’6” body. “You listen here Stark,  I came to ask for help and if you use that to take Bucky away from me, I swear on my mother’s life I will rain a fury down on you that you will not see coming.”

It would be funny coming from Steve, but instead Tony finds it frightening. He believes that Steve would and could destroy him if crossed on this.  “Okay, okay…I get it, but I had to put it out there.”  Steve takes a deep breath.  “It would probably be a good idea to have him checked out though.”  Steve looks at him with fire.  “No, not like that, but he’s been on his own since the fall of Hydra and that means he probably hasn’t been eating right and that arm of his must need maintenance.”  Steve thinks about it for a few minutes, then nods.

“IF he is okay with it, I’ll bring him to you, but if it doesn’t feel right we walk. If you call anyone we will disappear.”

“Why does this guy mean so much to you?”

Steve huffs. “I can’t explain it Tony.  It’s like I know him.  Like he’s mine.”

Steve spends another hour going through the file, but gets nauseous and has to stop. What they did to Bucky is so far past inhuman, that he can’t wrap his mind around it.  The fact that Bucky is so sweet and gentle with him, is a miracle and speaks to the kind of person Bucky was before being made into Winter.  He goes home and just wants to hug his friend that’s not just a friend.

 Yeah, Steve’s falling for Bucky.

Bucky is sitting by the window with a book in his lap. Steve knows that he’s also keeping watch of the surrounding buildings.  Bucky doesn’t trust anyone or anything except Steve.  Knowing everything he knows now, Steve is surprised that he can trust at all.  It isn’t until Steve is closer to the window that he sees the cat, eating on the fire escape.  “Now you’re feeding strays too?  We are going to have an apartment full if we both keep doing this.”

Bucky smiles at him. “I had to feed her Stevie.  She’s pregnant.”

“Well, that just means she’s going to have them in our apartment. You sure you’re up for being a grandpa this soon?”  If the cat makes Bucky happy and the kittens make him happy, then fuck yeah, they can have a cat.

“Our apartment?” Bucky looks puzzled.

“Uh, yeah, our apartment. As in we both live here and share the apartment.”  Steve’s brow is furrowed in confusion.

“So wait, you mean you want me to stay?”

Steve chuckles. “Of course I want you to stay.  I asked you to stay before.”

“I thought you just meant for a little while.” Bucky sighs.  “How long?”

Steve’s more confused. How could Bucky think Steve would want him to leave?  For the week that Bucky’s been living here, they’ve only spent one night apart and that’s only because Bucky slept on the couch the first night.  Since that first night, he sleeps in bed with Steve.  They haven’t done anything with that, but Steve knows he can’t sleep without him now.  “You mean, how long do I want you to stay?”  Bucky is looking at the floor, refusing to look at Steve.  “Maybe this will help you understand.”  He goes to Bucky and cupping his cheek, makes him look into Steve’s eyes.  They Steve leans forward and kisses him lightly.  “If you don’t want me to do that again, just tell me I read this wrong.”

Bucky shakes his head. “No, no didn’t read it wrong.”  And Bucky is kissing Steve for all he’s worth.  Mapping the smaller man’s mouth and pulling him impossibly close.  Steve clings to him, moaning into his mouth.

Bucky cradles Steve in his arms and rests their foreheads together. “I love you, Stevie.”  He tenses up, like he didn’t expect to say that out loud. 

Steve doesn’t let him pull away. “I love you too, Buck.  So much I can’t even tell ya.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky gets the care he deserves. This is the chapter that gets the explicit rating.

It’s been three days and Tony is starting to think that Steve and the Soldier have run. He’s sent a drone over and has seen with his own eyes that they are still in the apartment.  When Steve works, the Soldier spends his time cleaning, reading, or playing with a cat that is obviously pregnant.  He’s so gentle with her that Tony is starting to think of this guy as Bucky and not the Soldier.  When Steve comes home they sit and talk, but on one particular night they dance.  Steve puts on something from the ‘40’s and they dance, slow and clinging to each other.  Tony stops watching after that.  He’s got to change everything he thinks he knows.

The afternoon of the forth day he gets a message that they are on their way to the Tower. He texts back to come through the garage instead of the front.  He doesn’t want anyone seeing the Soldier.  They are brought up the back elevator to Tony’s office.  When they come in, they are holding hands and Tony can see that the Soldier is frightened.  He comes towards them slow and non-threatening.  Extending his hand to Steve.  “Steve, it’s good to see you.  And you brought a friend.”  Steve shakes his hand and then Tony offers it to the Soldier.  “You must be Bucky.”

Cautiously, Bucky shakes the offered hand. “Yes.”

“Not one for talking. Okay, I get it.”  They sit on the couch nearly on top of one another and Tony takes the chair opposite.  “Bucky, let me assure you that I’m not here to hurt you in anyway.  If I did, your boyfriend there would end me.”  Bucky quirks a smile.  “I just think after being away from Hydra, you need a medical exam and maybe I can look at that arm and see if there’s anything that needs to be adjusted.”

“Why?” Bucky doesn’t trust, except for Steve, and doesn’t know why this man, an Avenger, would want to help.

“Well, that’s an interesting question and here’s an interesting answer.” He looks at Steve, then back to Bucky.  “I don’t really know.”  Both men look confused.  “I know, Tony Stark without a good reason or an ulterior motive.  Confuses me too, but here’s the thing…I like Steve.”

Steve looks shocked and more than a little surprised. “Tony, I…”

“Don’t Steve, just don’t.” Steve sits back and closes his mouth.  Tony gets up and walks over to his desk.  “After what those monsters did to you, Steve waltzes in here and asks me to help you.  I went over every scenario and all I could come up with was, if Steve trusts you, then I do too.”

Bucky grins and it changes him completely. “Sounds like my Stevie has a profound effect on everyone around him.”

Tony laughs. “Oh I am so calling you Stevie from now on.”

The tests go well and with everything that Bucky has been through, he’s in surprisingly good shape. The arm, on the other hand, does need some adjusting.  Tony freaks out when he gets a scan of it and realizes that it’s fused to Bucky’s spine.  “Dear god, how did you survive this hack job.”  Bucky doesn’t flinch or answer. 

Steve doesn’t get more than a foot away from Bucky and Tony can see the worry. “Tony, is he in pain?”

Bucky looks horrified at Steve. Tony looks confused.  “Why don’t you ask him?”

“Because he probably would tell me no when he really is because he’s a self-sacrificing shit.” Bucky grins knowing that Steve knows him too well for the short time they’ve been physically in each other’s lives.

“Well…” Tony looks at Bucky and back at Steve. “…I would say that yes, he is in constant pain from this.”  Steve whilts.  “But, if I can get him to trust me a little more, I’m sure I can do something about that.”

Bucky looks shocked. “You can make it stop hurting?”

“Yeah Robocop, I know I can.” Steve takes Bucky’s right hand and kisses the knuckles.  He’s beginning to tear up.  “Can you trust me enough to do that for you?”

Bucky looks at Steve, who has just hope in his eyes. “Yeah, I can do that.”  Tony finishes the adjustments and stears them into a small room.  He throws the schematics of the arm unit into the air and starts telling them what he can do to undo what Hydra did.  “Basically what I’m saying, is I can design a new arm, that will not pull the way this one does.  It will be lighter and be more sensitive and if you really want to let me have fun, I can arm it with tiny missiles.”

Bucky jerks then grins ear to ear. “Missiles?  You can give me missiles in the arm?”

“Damn right I can.” The two start to geek out over everything Tony can do and Steve just sits back and watches his Bucky, having fun and talking like only he’s seen him.  “I’ll start working on it and when we’re ready, I’ll let you know.”  He jumps up.  “Oh, I have something for the two of you.”  The follow him back up to his office.  “Listen, I know this is strange, but I was thinking about all of this and it occurred to me that if anyone finds out that ‘the Soldier’ is here, they may come after him, so I want you two to be secure.”  He hands each of them a phone.  “This is a Starkphone, it’s completely secure and that means that no one can hack it.  It is also directly interfaced with JARVIS so if anything happens, me or Sam or the whole god damn team can be there is seconds to help.”

“Who’s JARVIS?” Bucky seems confused.

The disembodied voice makes him jump from his seat. _“It’s a pleasure to meet you Sergeant Barnes.”_

“Who the fuck is that?” Bucky is fighting stance.

“Relax Terminator, that’s JARVIS. He’s an AI that runs my life and has saved it a few times as well.”  Tony seems amused.  “Basically, he takes care of the Avengers on a daily basis and runs the building.  He can answer any and all questions you might have about anything and monitor the apartment so you don’t have to.”

“That’s just weird Stark.” Bucky looks up at the ceiling.  “It’s nice to meet you too JARVIS.”

 

When they get home, Bucky backs Steve into the closed door and kisses him. “You have some weird ass friends Steve.”  He goes back to kissing down Steve’s neck, sucking marks as he goes.  Steve is breathing hard and Bucky backs away. 

Steve pulls him back in and whispers. “Why don’t we take this to the bedroom?”  Steve cocks a challenging eyebrow at Bucky and waits to see what the soldier will do.  Bucky hoists him over his shoulder, heading to the bedroom and Steve will deny fiercely that he squeals.

“Are you sure about this Stevie? I don’t know if I can stop myself once I touch you.”  Steve smirks and starts stripping off his clothes.  “I’ll take that as a yes.”  Bucky starts stripping too.  It’s not that they haven’t been without shirts around each other, but they have never been completely nude.

When Bucky’s clothes come off, Steve is dumbstruck. “Jesus Buck, you’re gorgeous.”

Bucky flushes a deep shade of red. Steve has stopped stripping out of his clothes and looks embarrassed.  “What is it, sweetheart?”  Then it clicks and Bucky leans over him on the bed.  Steve is down to his pants, but has covered his chest by folding his arms over himself.  “Oh no, no Stevie.  Please baby, don’t feel like that.”  He pushes Steve down, so he’s lying on his back.  “You are more beautiful to me than anything in this world.  I know you don’t see what I see, but nothing shines like you do.”  He pops the button on Steve’s pants and slowly takes them down, boxers and all.  “Fuck Stevie, look at you.”  He caresses up Steve’s thigh to his stomach and rests his hand above Steve’s heart.  Running a thumb over Steve’s nipple, he sees his beautiful angel jerk and moan.  “You sure about this?”  His thumb is still brushing back and forth over Steve’s nipple. 

Steve arches and pants. “Please…please Bucky.”  Those words alone make Bucky even harder than he already was.  He kisses the inside of Steve’s knee and licks a stripe up the underside of his cock.  Steve screams out.

“Oh, I’m going to like the noises you make, doll.” He runs his tongue over the slit of Steve’s cock and sucks the head into his mouth.  He suckles gently for several seconds then takes Steve into his mouth to the root.  Steve whines and chokes out a sob.  Bucky backs off, looking at him worried.  “Steve?”

Steve looks even more embarrassed, but takes a deep breath and pushes on. “I’m only going to say this once Barnes, so listen up.  I haven’t done anything like this before because when I tried it didn’t feel right.  Like something important was missing.  Then you came along and turned my world upside down in the best way possible.  This…”  He indicated between them.  “…this is the most right I’ve ever felt.  I want you to…”  He pauses.  “…I want you to fuck me senseless and then when I don’t think I can take anymore I want you to do it again.  I want you inside me, filling me up and tomorrow I don’t want to be able to walk.”

The more Steve spoke the more dilated Bucky’s eyes got. “Jesus…yeah…let’s do that.”  Steve laughs and falls on top of Bucky, kissing him until both of their heads are spinning.

The first time, Bucky doesn’t fuck him. It’s slow, gentle and nearly has Steve going out of his mind with how right it feels.  There are whispers of ‘Bucky’ and ‘god yes, please’.  It’s the most beautiful sound Bucky’s ever heard.  The next time is rough, hard and fast.  Steve screaming Bucky’s name for all the neighbors to hear.  The third time, Bucky sucks him to completion, jacking himself at the same time.  The last time, sometime before dawn, Bucky enters him from behind, lying on their sides and gently rocks into Steve’s body, telling him how perfect he is.  Just before he comes in Steve the last time, he whispers ‘I love you’ into his ear.  Steve comes untouched, clamping down on Bucky’s cock.

When Steve woke the following day, Bucky was propped up watching him. “Buck?”

Bucky brushed Steve’s hair back from his forehead and kissed him lightly. “What baby?”

Steve just hummed with a sleepy smile on his face. “Like that.”

“Like what, sleepyhead?”

Steve wiggled to Bucky’s side of the bed and nestled in as close to him as he could get. “You calling me baby.  Didn’t think I would like something like that, but from you it’s good.”

Bucky wrapped Steve in his arms and held him close. “Then I’ll keep doing it.”

Steve kissed Bucky’s chest and nuzzled back in. “Okay.”  Bucky could only chuckle at how completely adorable Steve was being.  “Oh, and Bucky.”

“Yeah Stevie?”

“I love you too.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New arm and a family meeting.

It was six days before Steve’s phone alerted him that they were needed at the Tower. The new phones were ridiculous, but anytime they needed something JARVIS already had it taken care of, from ordering food to making Steve’s tattoo designs 3D.  They arrived three hours later, which really could be called Bucky’s fault.  Steve had jumped in the shower and Bucky had joined him.  And one thing lead to another and they were three hours late.

“It’s about damn time, Rogers. You want to tell me why you kept me waiting?”   Tony is pacing around his workshop looking a little psychotic.  Steve just smirks and leans into Bucky.  “Oh for god sakes, Rogers, keep it in your pants next time.”

“For your information Stark, I wasn’t wearing pants.” Bucky snorts out a laugh.  Steve leans back into him again and Bucky wraps his arms around him from behind.

“I did not need to know that.” He turns away and rubs his hands together.  “Okay, let’s get this party started.” 

It had been 22 hours and Steve was a wreck. Over two hours had been Tony explaining exactly what they were going to have to do and Bucky having a minor freak out that he would be at the mercy of doctors that would have him in a position of vulnerability.  Tony had made sure he understood that Steve would be witness to everything from the observation gallery and Tony would be in the room the whole time with the soldier.  It had still taken everything Bucky had to lay down on that table and let the men and women take over.  The last thing he saw was Steve, hand pressed to the glass of the gallery window, eyes filled with admiration and love.

 

Bucky wakes slowly, feeling drugged and minor pain. He doesn’t try to move because he always got in trouble when he did that.  He didn’t want his handlers to put him in the chair, so he lay still.  Then a warm hand squeezed his.  Wait, he’s handlers never held his hand. 

“Buck, you awake?” Steve.  That was Steve and that meant he wasn’t going to the chair.

Tears slide down his face with the realization. “Steve?”  He’s weak and raspy.

“Yeah babe, it’s me.” He can feel Steve shift.  “How’s the pain?”

He wants to answer, but he just can’t get the words out. He can’t get the tears to stop either.  The door opens and Bucky wants to jump up and protect Steve, but when Steve’s hand comes up and brushes hair from his forehead, Bucky knows there’s no danger.

“You’re finally awake, Buckaroo?” There’s someone else in the room, besides Tony, Bucky can feel them, so he opens his eyes to scan.  It’s the doctor that Bucky remembers from before the surgery. 

“Everything went incredibly well. We were afraid that there would be so much scar tissue that it would make it just as painful as before, but we’re guessing that the serum they gave you didn’t allow the tissue to build up.”  She’s been speaking for several minutes about everything that they did, but Bucky only has eyes for Steve.  Steve, however, is listening to everything she’s saying and asking questions.  He’s just asked her something that Bucky misses, so he tries to focus.  “Well, even with the serum, we are expecting a couple of weeks recovery and then several months of physical therapy.”

Steve looks from Tony to Bucky to the doctor. “Explain the serum?  I don’t understand.”

Tony looks at Bucky. He proceeds to explain something called the super soldier serum to Steve and for the first time Bucky understands what has kept him alive all these decades.  “So what you’re telling me is my boyfriend is a super hero.”

Bucky sputters a laugh. “Stevie, I’m the furthest thing from a hero that you can get.”

Tony makes a face. “You could be, if you wanted.”

Before Bucky can respond, Steve does it for him. “What do you mean?”

“Well look, he’s a super soldier, with a kickass prosthetic arm. He could work with us.”  Bucky looks confused.  “Us meaning the Avengers.”

He busts out laughing again. “The only way I would work with the Avengers, is if Stevie was part of the team as well.”

Tony grins. “I think that’s doable.”

Bucky and Steve are struck dumb.

 

Nothing came up having to do with that conversation again for the next week. Bucky healed faster than the doctors expected, but still moved gingerly around the medical wing at Avenger’s Tower.  Steve stayed with him, never leaving his side.  Tony had set up an apartment in the Tower for them and they were told that it was stocked for them already.  They weren’t expecting it to be stocked with not only food, but clothes and bathroom items.  Tony had also sent someone to their apartment for personal things, Steve’s sketch book, Bucky’s books and the cat. 

Muffin, as Bucky had named her, was exploring the apartment and making herself completely at home. There was a note from Natasha that the cat was looking for a place to birth her babies and Steve might want to fix a box for that.  Once he got Bucky settled on the sofa, he set up a bed for Muffin using a laundry basket and a blanket.  He put it under a table in the far corner of the living room and she found her way to it quickly.

Bucky watched all of this with a small smile on his face. “Steve?”  Steve turned with a furrowed brow thinking something was hurting.  “I love you.”

Steve quirked a smile and came to the sofa. “I love you too, Buck.  You okay?”

“Yeah, I was just thinking.”

Steve brushed a stray hair behind Bucky’s ear. “’Bout what?”

“Months ago I was living on the street stalking you and now I’m sitting in Avenger’s Tower, with you and our cat who’s about to have kittens and I don’t know how I got here, but I’m glad I did.”

Steve leans in and kisses him. “You got here cause you’re a good man, the strongest man I know, and you deserve to have everything good in the world.”

“You’re a sap, Steven Rogers.”

“I’m your sap James Barnes.”

“Fuck yeah, you are.”

 

Another week goes by and it’s been filled with doctors and therapy and most importantly, Muffin giving birth to three tiny marshmallows. The new arm is much more sensitive than the last one and it’s so light that Bucky forgets it’s there sometimes.  The only pain he feels is from the surgery, which the doctor tells him will fade eventually.  Steve is sketching Bucky as he sits by the basket with his hand inside calmly petting tiny furballs.  Muffin is eating and Steve doesn’t know how his life became so domestic, but damn if it isn’t the best feeling in the world. 

_“Sirs, Mr. Stark would like to come down. He asks that you remain dressed and in uncompromising positions.”_

“Well, JARVIS that just makes us want to strip down and make out on the sofa.” Bucky laughs at Steve.

_“I wouldn’t blame you if you did sir. Shall I tell him he is welcome.”_

“Please, but can you add that we got rid of all our clothes, so he’ll have to deal with out nudity.”

_“I would be happy to, sir.”_

The elevator deposits Tony a few minutes later. “You two are corrupting my AI.”  They bust out laughing.  “Let’s see the little ones.”  He goes to the basket and squats down.  “They’re so tiny.”

Bucky watches him like a hawk. “What’s the visit for, Tony?”

He reaches in and lightly strokes a finger across one of the tiny heads. “I wanted to see if you two would like to come up for dinner with the Avengers.”  He stands and goes to the sofa to sit down.  “I’ve kept them at bay for the last two weeks and let me tell you, keeping Sam away has been a pain in the ass.”  He looks at Steve.  “What is it you do to people that makes them so loyal?”

Bucky chuckles. “He’s just that awesome.”

Steve sits up as Bucky comes over and slides in behind him, then leans back into his chest. “I don’t know Tony, maybe I’m just always honest with people and they like that.”

“Well, that’s just asking too much of me. I have secrets and I like my secrets.”  He’s grinning.  “Seriously though, come up for dinner.  Meet the whole team.  And let me talk to you about my idea.”

“What idea?” Bucky sounds suspicious.

“You said that you would join the team if Steve joined too. I think I have a way for that to happen.”

Bucky wraps his arms around Steve. “I will not join the team if it means that Steve is put in any situation that dangerous.”  He kisses Steve’s temple.  “You have to understand, if there’s ever a choice between a member of the team and Steve, I will always pick Steve.”

Tony is picking at a string on the sofa. “Oh believe me, I know that, but what if I told you that Steve wouldn’t get hurt?”

“Then we have something to talk about.”

Tony stands and claps his hands together. “Good, see you at 7.”  He leaves as quickly as he came.

“Buck, you know I can’t really be a part of the team. My body won’t let me.  But I really want you to have this.”  He snuggles back against Bucky.

“I know you do Steve. I’ve done some things that I’m not proud of.  I’ve been adding things to my journal that I haven’t told you.  It would be a way for me to make up for some of that.  I just don’t like that idea of leaving you for missions.”

Steve turns in his arms. “I know about some of it.”  Bucky looks shocked.  “I didn’t read your journal, but the day I came here to ask Tony for help, he showed me your file.  I couldn’t read everything, but what I did…”

His words trail away and Bucky thinks He couldn’t love Steve more. “Wait, so you mean you know about the stuff I did, but you still want me?”

Steve cups his face. “Of course.  What Hydra made you do, has nothing to do with who you are.”

Steve leans in and kisses him lightly. Bucky grins.  “We’re going to be late to dinner, Stevie.” Bucky stands and scoops Steve up and heads to the bed.

 

When they arrive at the common floor of the Tower, everyone is already there. They seem to be deep in discussion, which comes to an abrupt halt when they enter.  “Well I guess we know who you were all talking about.”  Steve is slightly offended by them.

Sam stands and comes to Steve, hugging him and extending a hand to Bucky. “You must be Barnes.”

Bucky shakes his hand, “Yeah, and you’re Sam.  Steve talks a lot about you.”

Sam grins. “Man I wish I could say the same, but he’s kept you a secret from me.  Now’s my chance to see what’s got him all twitterpated.”

“Wilson, did you seriously just quote Bambi in my home?” Tony’s up and moving, keeping an eye on the others.  They are uncomfortable and he doesn’t want it escalating.

“I did and I know that Steve will appreciate the reference.” Steve smiling at Sam, but it doesn’t reach his eye.  Bucky sees it and put an arm around him, pulling him close.  The others watch this and also watch as Steve melts into Bucky’s touch.  Introductions are made and Bucky really doesn’t like Widow.  He knows that Steve does, but she sets off alarms in his head that he can’t quiet.  It isn’t until he’s introduced to a SHIELD agent that things get interesting.

“Sergeant Barnes, it is an honor to meet you sir.” Coulson is beside himself.  “I’ve studied every mission of the Howling Commandos and it’s just amazing to meet you.”

Bucky has a fan club and he’s kind of liking that. “It’s good to meet you Agent.”

“Please, call me Phil. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions after dinner?”  Phil is nearly vibrating out of his skin.

“That sounds good. What do you do for SHIELD?”  Bucky’s trying to put everyone in a category of friend or foe.

“Mostly, try to keep these guys from destroying too many buildings.” He indicates the team.

“How’s that going?”

“Not well. Not well at all.”  Bucky chuckles which makes Phil beam at him.

Steve watches the interaction, as do the others. Bucky is charming and charismatic.  Sam seems taken a bit too, but it isn’t until Bucky goes to get Steve some water that he finds out why.  Sam corners him in the kitchen.  “You know, Steve hasn’t dated anyone before.  Not really.  But the way he looks at you…man, it’s something.”  He puts his arm on Bucky’s shoulder.  “I don’t care what anyone else out there says Barnes, I’ll always be in your corner as long as Steve looks at you that way.”

“Thanks Sam, that actually means more than you know.” Sam claps his shoulder one more time and leaves the kitchen.

As he’s headed back to the group he runs into Widow. “I don’t like you.”

Bucky doesn’t even flinch. “I don’t like you either.”

“You hurt him and I’ll kill you.”

“If I ever hurt him, you won’t have to. I’ll do it myself.”  He goes back into Steve leaving Widow stunned silent.

Dinner goes well. They steer away from team talk and just share stories.  It’s Clint that finally draws Bucky into the conversation.  He’s been eating quietly watching and listening.  His focus is Steve and when Steve tells a story, it’s so animated that it captivates the table.  Steve is like the center of all things light and good and Bucky is drawn to him like a moth to a flame.  Sam watches Bucky and knows that whatever this crazy situation is, it’s real and it’s good.  Natasha watches it with mistrust and venom.  Tony can’t believe that this soft teddy bear looking man was the most dangerous and feared assassin for Hydra.  He looks at Steve like he wants to cuddle him to death. 

“So Barnes…” Bucky’s head jerks toward Clint.  “…Chicago or New York style pizza?”

Bucky smirks. “What kind of question is that?  I’m from Brooklyn man, if it’s not from New York, it’s not pizza.”

Clint grins. “He’s in.  You other people do not get a say in this.  He’s in.  We’re keeping him.”  Steve chuckles.

Bucky looks at Steve and reaches over to brush hair from his forehead. “They make me sound like a pet.”

Steve catches Bucky’s hand and kisses his palm. “Just don’t tell Clint we have a cat.”

“Wait, what? Oh Buckster, say it ain’t so.  A cat?”  The table breaks down in laughter.

“I think you broke him, Barnes.” Sam says through laughter.

Dinner is finished and Tony looks nervous. He corners Steve in the kitchen.  “I need to confess something and you are probably going to be mad at me, but I need you to know this before we talk any further about Barnes joining the team.”

Steve rolls his eyes. “What did you do, Tony?”

“Okay, you remember during the surgery we were giving him plasma?” Steve nods.  “And we also had blood set up, in case?”  Steve nods again and inches closer.  “Well, we weren’t giving him blood, we were taking some.”  Steve’s fists are clinched now.  “Now just wait…”

“Tony!”

“I told you we didn’t understand the serum.” Tony is backing out of the kitchen, only to run into a large obstacle at his back.  He turns and faces Bucky.  “Now just wait a minute, if we can understand the serum, we can figure out how to replicate it.”

Steve punches him in the face. “You fucker! What did I tell you about that?  Did I not make myself clear?”

Tony is holding his nose and trying to put something between himself and angry Steve. “We need to understand what Hydra did to him back in the 40’s to help him now.”

Steve is tracking Tony like a predator, but Bucky steps between them. “Steve, he’s right.”  Steve stops and gives them both a look of disbelief.  “Do I like that he did it when I couldn’t consent, no, but he has a point.  If they can understand me, they can always fix me.”

Tony gestures at Bucky. “That’s what I’m saying.”

Steve stamps his foot and Tony jumps and hides behind Bucky. “Shut up, Tony.”  Steve places his hand on Bucky’s chest.  “Buck, all I’m saying is it shouldn’t have been done without you saying yes.”  He points at Tony, who is still hiding behind Bucky.  “You are on my shit list, Stark.”   Bucky smirks at him.  “Okay, okay, what did you find?”

Tony starts to come out from behind Bucky, but changes his mind. “We can replicate it.  We have replicated it.”

“What the fuck, man? Why?”  Bucky is in disbelief now.

Tony straightens up and looks hard at Steve. “So we can fix you.”  They are both silent, blinking at Tony like he has two heads.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain America is born.

Bucky is standing on the balcony of Avenger Tower, thinking about everything that’s happened in the last months. Steve is his true north, his universe’s center, his life and Tony can ‘fix’ him.  Tony can use the serum to take away every ailment that batters Steve’s body every day.  Tony can make him healthy.  And Bucky is the reason they can do that.  Every bad thing that Bucky has ever done and now all of that bad can give something good to the man that Bucky loves more than his own life.  He hears Steve’s footfalls before he sees him.

“Buck?”

“Yeah, Stevie?”

“What are you thinkin?”

He doesn’t take his eyes from the stars. “I was thinkin that I can never repay you for everything you’ve given me, but Stark is giving me a way that I can give you something good.”

Steve leans on the railing next to him. “You have no idea what you’ve given me.  If I died tomorrow, I’d die happy just havin you in my life.”

“But Stevie, I can give you health. All of those terrible things I’ve done…”

“Stop, just stop.” Bucky jumps.  “Those things are things that Hydra made you do, that wasn’t you.  You’ve proven that over and over.”

Bucky taps the side of his head. “In here, I know that.”  He taps his heart.  “In here, I still struggle with it.”

“Do you want me to do this?” Bucky sighs.  Steve watches him intently.  “Tell me the truth, Buck.”

“I always tell you the truth.” Steve chuckles.  “And yes, I want you to do this because I’m selfish.”  Steve quirks an eyebrow at him.  “I want you to do this for me, so you’ll be healthy and I won’t lose you to some random asthma attack.”

Steve gives him a half smile. “Okay.”  Bucky studies his face.  “I’ll do it.”  Then Steve smiles wide.  “But if I do this, you are stuck with me forever, pal.”

Bucky laughs. “I can’t think of anything better.”

 

It takes months to get everything ready. Tony has to refer back to his father’s notes on some experiments they did in the 40’s.  Howard was never able to make any of it work because they never had a serum to work with.  There were notes in the margins about a serum that they believed the Nazi’s had, which Tony knows now, to be Hydra.  With the configuration of the chamber and the serum, Tony can do what his father never could.  And he can make Steve healthy.  They’ve all known, for the years they’ve known him, that he could literally die at anytime.  They’ve talked about it at length.  For whatever reason, Steve Rogers is the center of the group.  He’s good and true, he’s also a pain in the ass and a scary little shit when he wants to be, but he never does anything without a reason.  And his reasons are always honorable.

Bucky has been spending time at the tower when Steve is working and today is no different. He’s watching Tony go over and over the notes and the chamber while playing chess with U.  “You’ve been going over this stuff for a week.   Don’t you think you have everything ready?”

“Listen Robocop, if this isn’t perfect and something happens to Steve, it’ll kill me. Even before you kill me.”  Tony hasn’t looked up and picks up a tool and goes to the chamber again.

“He means a lot to you, doesn’t he?” Bucky isn’t playing anymore.

“I can’t even tell you why. He just kind of gets under your skin and lives there.”  Tony steps back.

“Yeah, I understand that.” He’s watching Tony.  “It’s ready isn’t it?”

Tony swallows hard. “Yeah, as ready as it’s ever going to be.”  He turns and looks scared.  “When do you want to do this?”

“It isn’t my call, Tony. It’s his.”  They call Steve at the shop.  After a brief conversation, it’s decided that tonight is it.  Steve doesn’t want to wait because he’s afraid if he does, he’ll chicken out.  Bucky teases him that it will be the first and only time that ever happens.  Steve promises to be there when he closes up shop.  Tony starts calling in the people that he needs.  Moral support he calls it.

Steve arrives just after 8 and finds Bucky, Tony and Sam in the lab. “Everything okay?”  He asks because they seem brooding.

“Yeah, course.” Bucky tries to sound lighthearted.  Steve hugs him close and Bucky holds him tight against him.  “You sure about this, Stevie?”

Steve pulls back and looks at him seriously. “I’m sure.”  He smirks.  “If anything happens to me, you be sure to tell the grandkids about me.”  Bucky snickers knowing he’s talking about the kittens.

Tony steps up. “We need to talk for a few minutes before we put you in.”  Steve nods and sits on a stool.  “Okay, so no one has ever done it this way before.  From what we can gather, Hydra did this in a much more painful way.”  He looks sideways at Bucky.  “We are going to give you a series of injections that will boost your body’s systems and then we will put you in the machine.”  He indicates the chamber.  “Inside you will be injected again with the serum and then gamma radiation will be filtered through.”

Steve is getting more nervous as he talks. “Don’t you think we should have a doctor here for all this?”

“You have one.” Bruce walks in carrying a container.  “I’ll be monitoring your vitals and making sure that Tony doesn’t go overboard.”

“What do you mean overboard?” Tony looks indignant.  “I don’t…okay maybe I do, but that’s what we have Brucey Bear for.”

“Don’t…don’t call me that.” It’s a running theme with Tony and Bruce.  They have a love hate relationship with each other.  They love each other because they are the only ones that understand the science talk, but they hate each other because Tony likes to push Bruce’s buttons. 

“Anyway, you’ll be in the chamber for at least 8 minutes and between the serum and the gamma you should heal from all of your illnesses.” He seems at a loss for a minute.  “Truth be told Steve, we don’t really know what’s going to happen, but at the very least, it will give your body defenses it hasn’t had before.”

Steve looks confused between them. “Meaning?”

Bucky steps in. “Meaning you will be able to throw your inhaler away and never think about it again.”  He kisses Steve’s temple.

“Well, then lets do this.” He kicks off most of his clothes, except the sweats he was wearing and Bruce prepares the injections.  There are 8 given to Steve before he even steps into the machine.  When he’s ready, Bucky pulls him aside.  “Buck?”

“I’ll be right here when you come out. Don’t do anything stupid in there.”

Steve huffs a laugh. “How can I, you’re keeping all the stupid out here with you.”

Bucky laughs and kisses him tenderly. “I love you, Steven.”

Steve smirks. “I love you too, James.”

It’s all fine until he’s been in the chamber for 5 minutes and he screams. Bucky wants to tear the thing open and drag him out, but Steve yells for them to keep going.  It hurts, but nothing that he can’t handle.  Then it gets quiet and the 8 minutes mark sees the chamber shutting down.  There’s a wait time for the computer to disengage, but when the door slides up, everyone is staring open mouthed. 

“What the fuck?” Sam isn’t the only one wondering that.

Tony can’t even talk and Bruce is fidgeting and checking readings trying not to look at Steve. Bucky is the worst because he’s starting to cry.  “Steve?”

Steve finally opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is Bucky. “Buck.”  It’s said weakly and he starts to fall forward and Bucky catches him.  “What happened?  Did it work?”  His words are slightly slurred.

“Uh…define work.” Tony is still slack jawed and Sam is still staring like an owl.

Bucky helps Steve over to a mirror and Steve’s eyes get as big as Sam’s. “Wha…who…fucking hell…is that me?”

Bucky giggles, literally giggles. “Yeah, yeah, that’s you.”

Steve looks like a Greek statue. Golden blond hair, eyes of intense blue and the muscles of Adonis.  He’s a walking work of art and Bucky isn’t sure what to do with that.  He stops trying to figure it out when Steve turns around and kisses him.  He’s considerably taller now and the kiss is off center because of it.  “Buck?”

Bucky finds himself wanting to run his hands all over Steve. Steve was the most beautiful thing Bucky had ever seen and now, his outside matched what was inside, but the beauty hasn’t changed.  “Steve, you’re going to have men and women falling all over you now.”

Something in his tone makes Steve really look at him. Steve looks back at the mirror and realizes what Bucky and everyone else are seeing.  “I don’t want that.”  He pulls Bucky into his arms.  “I want you.”

Bucky reaches up, which is hard to get used to. “You sure.  You could have anyone you wanted now.”

Steve throws his head back and laughs. “That comin from the most beautiful man on the planet is ridiculous.  You could have anyone and you wanted a shrimpy little guy that couldn’t carry his own groceries.”

“Hey, I love that shrimpy little guy.”

“Can you love me like this?” For as big as he is, Steve seems to shrink in on himself.

“You’re still my Stevie, if you want to be.”

Steve throws himself into Bucky’s arms. “Oh, thank god.”  He kisses Bucky’s cheek.  “I was afraid you wouldn’t want me anymore.”

Bucky winks at him. “Are you kidding, now there’s more of you to explore.” And he wiggles his eyebrows.

“Okay, on that note we need to run tests.” Tony and Bruce usher them out of the lab and towards the medical wing.  Sam follows, but still hasn’t said anything.  “We’re going to run some scans and check for the asthma and heart murmur.  Then we’re going to do a complete physical.”

Steve nods and good naturedly does everything they ask of him. It’s been nearly 3 hours and Steve has been flirted with by every tech they’ve come across.  He is happily oblivious to all of it, just holding on to Bucky and smiling at him lovingly.  “Are we done yet?  I’m tired and want to rest.”

Bruce looks sheepish. “Sorry, you can go up to your floor and we’ll check over all these test results.”

“Wait…my floor?”

“Oh, didn’t I mention that? Yeah, I set you up permanently with your own floor.  Well for you and Terminator.”  He smirks at the pair. “Make sure you eat and rest.  And by rest, I mean rest.”  He points at Bucky.  “No funny business tonight.  He really does need to rest.  His body just rebuilt itself.”  They leave the lab and head to their floor.  When the door closes, the three men look at each other.  “Did you know it was going to do that to him?”

Bruce is shaking his head. “No, I didn’t think it could do that.”

Sam finally speaks. “He’s going to have everyone questioning their sexuality.  I’ve already started.” Tony is nodding and Bruce joins him.  “He didn’t even realize that everyone has been flirting with him.  Not one person that saw him didn’t look at him like he was breakfast, lunch and dinner and he didn’t even notice.”

“Well, in Bucky’s defense, he’s really gorgeous.” Tony just sighs.  “The two most attractive men on the planet, getting in bed together.  I’m not going to be able to get that out of my head.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky's insecurities and engagement.

When the lift doors open, Steve and Bucky are awed by what they find. Tony wasn’t kidding, it’s an entirely new floor.  On each side are floor to ceiling windows, everything is open and spacious, and there is a TV big enough to be called theatre size.  There is pizza in the kitchen and Muffin is sitting on the counter staring down at the kittens, who are trying to figure out how to get to mom.  “Muff, you aren’t supposed to be on the counter.”  She looks at Steve and hisses.  “What the hell?”

Bucky laughs quietly. “Well Steve, you don’t look like the same guy.  Give her time to get used to you.”  The kittens however don’t care and start climbing Steve’s legs.  Sweat pants make for a good handhold for kittens.  “They still love you.”

Steve gingerly grabs hold of one and brings him up to his face. “No,  they just want to use me to get to Muffin.”

Bucky grabs two more and holds them against his chest. “Fair point.  It’s a good thing they’re cute.”

They sit the kittens down and get the pizza and sodas, heading for the couch. “JARVIS, can we access our movies from here?”

“Of course, sirs. I have linked your Netflix account with my systems.”

“Awesome, can you bring up the next episode of Sens8?” The tv comes on and the episode comes up.  Steve is acting like everything is normal, trying to eat and pay attention to the tv.  Bucky is not watching however, but instead is staring at Steve.  This goes on through most of the episode.  Finally, Steve looks at Bucky.  “You just going to stare?”

Bucky chokes on a piece of pizza. “Oh…uh…sorry.”

Steve takes their plates and sits them on the table. He scoots closer to Bucky and brushes his hair away from his face.  “Buck, what’s going on?”

Bucky lowers his head and whimpers. “Fuck Steve, I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Seriously, you need to try because you’re scaring the hell out of me and remember, I knew you when you were Winter, so my tolerance for scary is high.” Steve crooks his head to the side trying to get Bucky to look at him.

Finally, he raises his head and again is punched in the gut by how beautiful Steve is. “It’s just…just…”  Steve caresses his cheek.  “Jesus…it’s just that I thought you were beautiful before this, you know that right?”

“Well I didn’t understand it, but yeah, I know that.” Steve’s even more confused.

“How mad will you be if I tell you that I’m having a really hard time not groping you right now? I don’t want you thinkin that…”  He flushes embarrassed.

Recognition crosses Steve’s face. “Oh, I think I get it.”  Bucky looks pained.  “You are afraid that I’ll think you want me now just because of the way I look.”  Bucky nods.  “Why don’t you just tell me what’s going through your head right now.”

Bucky shakes his head vehemently. “Nope, not happening.  Bruce and Tony said rest.”

Steve laughs. “Well they aren’t here are they?”

Bucky gets a devilish look and pushes Steve back on the couch, lying over him. “In that case, what I’m thinkin is that I want to see every last inch of you and then use my hands and mouth to explore.”

Steve smirks. “Then I guess you better get these clothes off me and get started, Barnes.”

Bucky’s moving before Steve can finish. “Sir, yes sir.”  And Steve’s clothes go flying across the room.  Lying naked on the couch, Bucky is hovering over him, eyes enormous when he takes in everything.  “Holy fucking Jesus, you’re going to kill me.”  Steve laughs, pulling Bucky down onto him and they moan at the newness of the sensation.  “Yeah, definitely going to kill me.”

 

Bucky lays in bed the next morning watching Steve. It’s the same gorgeous face, the same good person, but the body is insane.  It’s like someone came up with what human perfection would look like and then made this Steve.  In sleep, he’s soft.  Bucky smiles as he snuffles in his sleep.  He watched all those people yesterday, ogling the new Steve, hell even Wilson and the others were affected.  He felt the intense jealousy that they were looking at something that was his, but Steve isn’t his.  Steve can choose to be with anyone he wants now.  He’ll have his pick.  Bucky is aware of what Steve said yesterday, in the lab, but he hasn’t been out in public yet.  He hasn’t seen the way people are going to view him now.  They should have viewed him that way all along, but this society is superficial and now Steve fits every stereotype of the perfect guy.  It both scares Bucky and infuriates him. 

Steve shuffles closer and lays his head on Bucky’s shoulder, Bucky pulls him closer with an arm around his shoulder. “You seemed deep in thought.”  His voice is morning rough and it makes Bucky smile.

“Yeah, I suppose so.” Steve kisses his chest and snuggles even closer.

Steve wraps an arm around Bucky’s middle. “Wanna talk about it?”

“I don’t know…maybe.” That’s when Muffin and the kittens begin making their way onto the bed.  “Maybe I should feed them first.”  He gets up and Steve whines.  “Really Steve, whining?”

Steve rubs his face in Bucky’s pillow. “What?  You’re warm.”

Bucky goes to put food down and the whole feline family comes running. He pets over Muffin’s back and she purrs for him.  The kittens, behaving like hungry hyenas, start getting food everywhere.  He just smiles and starts back to the bed.  He presses the button on the coffee maker and lets that brew.  Back in the bedroom, he watches Steve.  Sleep rumpled and hair in every direction, he’s just so damn adorable.  Not raising his head, but opening one eye, he grins at Bucky.

“You comin back in here to get me warmed up?”

“You know you run like a furnace now too.” Steve reaches out doing grabby hands for Bucky and he’s incapable of refusing.  He climbs back in and Steve snuggles him close.  “Before you were easier to move.”

“Yeah, but now I can keep you where I want you.” He chuckles.  “Holy shit, I can keep you where I want you now.  This is weird, Buck.”

“No kidding.” Something in Bucky’s voice makes him look up.  He doesn’t like what he sees and frowns.  “Don’t worry Stevie, I’m just in a weird place this morning.”

Steve pushes up on an elbow and is immediately struck by the fact that it didn’t hurt. He’s used to pain all the time and now there’s none.  He focuses his attention back on Bucky.  “Talk to me.  Please Buck.”

Bucky sighs. He knows he has to do this, but it pains him too.  See Steve accepted him right from the beginning and Bucky did sign on for this because he wanted to help.  It just didn’t occur to him that he might lose Steve in the process.  Looking into the blue eyes that he’s come to love so dearly, he pushes forward.  Steve deserves honesty.  “I think…no, I know that you will keep me around, but I’m afraid that it might be out of obligation.”  Steve starts to respond, but Bucky stops him.  “Just let me get this out.  I want to be honest with you cause you’ve always been honest with me.”  Steve nods and lays his head on Bucky’s chest.  “See, you don’t realize yet the options that are going to open up to you now.  Hell Steve, I’m pretty sure your friends wanted to jump you yesterday in the lab.”  Steve barks a laugh.  “You think I’m kidding, but trust me, Wilson was thrown for a loop when you came out of that chamber.  He couldn’t keep his eyes off you.  Every tech that stuck you with a needle or came anywhere near you, looked at you like a piece of meat.  They all wanted you.  The way you look now means people are going to throw themselves at you left and right and I don’t want to hold you back.”

Steve sits up. “Okay, okay stop!”  He gets up in all of his naked glory and pulls Bucky from the bed too.  He draws him over to the full length mirror.  Bucky stands in front of Steve who is standing behind him, arms wrapped around his middle.  “Bucky, do you see what I see?”  Bucky looks confused.  “When I first saw you in that alley, I almost couldn’t move you were so beautiful, then I woke up in that hospital bed and you were even more beautiful close up.  You came to live with me and I couldn’t figure out what someone so beautiful could possibly see in me.  And you stayed and even when I was sure you would eventually leave me for someone better, someone as beautiful as you, you stayed.”  Bucky doesn’t mean to get emotional, but it never crossed his mind that Steve once felt like he feels now.  “Bucky, I don’t know what you see when you look at yourself, but I see a work of art.  That’s what I’ve been seeing in you all along.”  He kisses Bucky’s neck.  “I don’t care who throws themselves at me, I want to be with you for as long as you’ll have me.”

There’s a quiet sniffle from Bucky and he locks eyes with Steve. He has to admit that with the two of them standing, looking in the mirror, they are a very attractive couple, like head turning attractive.  Bucky knows in that instant what he wants.  “Marry me.”

Steve’s eyes go wide, then he smiles brighter than Bucky’s ever seen him. “Yes.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky become Avengers. Hope you enjoyed this.

The jeweler is fun, they know pretty quickly which rings they want. The guy behind the counter flirts with both of them and just before Bucky slips the ring on Steve’s finger, the guy, Jeffrey, sighs.  “It’s just not fair.”  They look at him incredulously.  “Two guys as gorgeous as you two and you end up with each other.  Just not fair.”  They all crack up and the ring slips into place.  They take the other ring and head back to the tower.  Bucky refuses to wear it on his right hand and they figure Tony will enjoy working out the issue of Bucky’s metal arm.

“WAIT! You two left here yesterday with orders to have Steve rest and you come back engaged?”  Tony pinches the bridge of his nose.  “What the hell happened after you left here and why are you here rubbing your ridiculously good looks in my face?”

Steve steps forward and puts an arm around Tony. It freaks them both out for a minute because he’s so much taller now.  “We came because my fiancé doesn’t want to wear the ring on his right hand and has given you permission to mess around with his left to make the ring fit there.”  Tony looks like he wants to jump up and down in glee.  “Are we forgiven now?”

“The two greatest guys I know getting married! Brilliant!  Sit down Robocop and let me play.”  For the next hour or so Tony messes around with the hand and the ring.  “YES!  Got it.”  He takes a weird looking tool and puts his goggles on.  He hands Steve another pair and a face mask for Bucky.  “Here, there’s going to be heat and sparks.  No flaming out on me while I work.”  Ten minutes later the ring sits in a channel that Tony created by removing some of the plates.  “What do you think?”

Bucky looks down at the platinum band and smiles. “It’s perfect.  I don’t know how I feel about you being the one that put it on my finger, but it looks great.”

 

Steve goes back to work and everyone in the shop comes unglued. He tells them that some new experimental medicine had some side effects.  They don’t buy it, but play along.  Several customers try to ask him out, but he just raises his left hand.  One guy tells him it’s just a fling and it doesn’t have to mean anything, just sex.  Steve begs off, but the guy persists.  That is until Bucky comes in with lunch for the whole shop.  The guy has Steve backed against the counter looking at him like he’s going to eat him when Bucky lifts him out of the way, throwing him into a chair.  “When my future husband tells you no, he means no.”  It’s more of a growl than words, but the guy gets the point and runs from the shop.  “Steve, you’re like 7 feet tall now, why didn’t you just push him away?”

Steve blushes. “Well, I’ve been 7 feet tall for like two days.  It takes some getting used to.”

Bucky laughs and hugs him close. “Maybe I should teach you to fight.”

Steve kisses the side of his neck and whispers. “Maybe you should teach me to wrestle.”

Bucky kisses him and rests their foreheads together. “You’re already an expert at that, love.”

 

It’s been a few weeks and Bucky has in fact been taking Steve to the gym in the tower and teaching him. Getting used to his new center of gravity takes time, but once he finds his groove, the moves come easy.  On one such afternoon, Bucky is really putting him through his paces and Steve is moving like a goddamn ballerina.  He shifts quickly and spins to avoid weapons and punches.  He does a midair spin that has Natasha gaping at him.  “What the hell, Rogers?”

He lands like a cat, on his feet in a crouched position. “I did not teach you that!”  Bucky’s stunned at the grace Steve exudes.

Steve chuckles. “I have to have some secrets or you’d get bored with me.”

Natasha comes over. “Seriously, where did that come from?”

Steve shrugs. “I don’t know, I just sort of knew that he’d shoot the bean bag gun and I had to avoid that before I could land.  So  I just…you know…avoided it.”  He looks embarrassed.

Bucky pulls him in for a hug. “I’m really turned on right now.  Can we go home?”

“Jesus, you two.” Natasha walks away.  “It’s ridiculous.”  They run from the gym to the lift giggling and grabbing body parts.

 

Tony calls Steve at work on a Tuesday, three weeks later. “Hey Captain America, I need you at the tower.”

“Who the fuck is Captain America?” Steve’s very confused.

“You are. You’re tall, blond, build like a brick shithouse and the most moral person I know.  See, Captain America.”  Tony is snickering on the other end.

“You’re a weirdo, Tony, but I’ll see you about three.” It’s nearly 3:30 before he gets there and Tony is pacing his lab.

“Where the hell have you been? You said 3.”

“No, I said about 3. The last appointment ran over.”  Tony guides him to a chair.  “What’s going on Tony?”  Steve’s nervous that something has happened.  He’s been afraid that everything will disappear, that the serum will be temporary.

“First, stop worrying. This…”  He indicates Steve.  “Is for good.  It’s not going to suddenly go away.  It’s fused to your DNA.  This is you now.”  He presses the intercom.  “Second, you are going to love this.”  A door slides up and Bucky comes out in new tac gear.  He’s in brown canvas pants and a blue jacket, his hair hangs around his face and he looks at Steve.  Steve’s breathing gets rapid and he’s trying hard not to get hard.  Bucky looks lethal and goddamn if that doesn’t get Steve hot.  Then he notices the arm, it’s not silver anymore, it’s black.  At first Steve had thought it was part of the outfit, but at the top, next to the shoulder, there’s a red, white and blue design.  It’s circular with a white star in the middle.  Steve recognizes it because he designed it. 

“Buck, you have a new arm.”

Bucky flushes a deep red. “Tony’s been working on it for awhile and he attached it today.”  Bucky walks over in front of Steve.  He holds out his hand and Steve cocks his head.  “I thought it would be nice if you did it this time.”  He opens his hand and the ring is there.  Steve takes it and Bucky holds out his left hand.  Steve slides the ring into place.  He hears a click as it locks into place.

“You look really good Buck.” Bucky smirks because he knows Steve. 

“You like it, huh?”

“Uh…yeah…yeah, I do.” They both stand and Bucky pulls him close.

Tony clears his throat. “Well if you like that, then wait til you see what I have for you, science experiment.”

Bucky frowns at the name. Steve just laughs.  “And what could you possibly have for me that would top this.”  He waves at Bucky and gets caught up looking at how the outfit clings to Bucky’s thighs.  “Jesus…you really look good.”

Tony cackles. “You know he has eyes, right Mr. Straight and Narrow?”

Steve runs his hand down Bucky’s back, across his ass and rubs his thighs. “There’s nothing straight about me, Tony.”

The lab descends into hysterical laughter at that. Tony leans on the table to hold himself up.  “Okay, okay, but seriously, I do have something for you.”  He goes to the far wall and presses a code.  The panel slides up and there’s a dark blue fitted tac suit with a white star on the chest.  “Remember when Bucky said that he wouldn’t join the Avengers unless you were involved?  Well, now you are.”

“What the hell, Tony. What the fuck is that and what does it have to do with me?”  Steve looked incredulous at the suit.

“Well, it’s a tactical suit, made from a bullet/arrow proof material that moves easy and can be worn to say…oh I don’t know…an alien invasion.”

Bucky snorts and Steve glares at him. “You are not helping.”  He looks back at Tony.  “Are you planning an alien invasion?”

Tony holds his hands up. “Look, just put it on.  Get a feel for it, see what you think.”  He grins at Bucky.  “Maybe go to the gym and you and terminator here see how it feels in a battle scenario.”

“Come on, Stevie. Just try it on and lets go play in the gym.”  He’s a paradox standing there with a gleeful look on his face wearing an assassins gear.

“Fine, I’ll try it on. We can even go to the gym, but this is insane.”  He takes the suit and heads into Tony’s office.  “Go on down and I’ll meet you there.”  He holds up his finger, pointing at Bucky.  “If I’m doing this, I’m not having you in here.  Go.  I’ll see you down there in a few minutes.”

Bucky looks like a dog with his tail between his legs, but exits the lab. Steve takes a few minutes figuring out how to get the damn thing on.  Once in the suit, he straps the harness around his shoulders, pulls the boots on and exits the office.  Tony has his back to the office door until Steve clears his throat.  Tony spins and freezes. “Holy fucking Jesus Christ…”  And that’s all he manages before flopping into the chair.  He’s staring at Steve in utter disbelief.  He’d noticed the ridiculous shoulder to waist ratio before, but it was really obvious in the suit.  Again, Tony questions his sexuality when Steve spins around and Tony gets a look at his perfect round ass.

“Tony? Everything okay?  Did I put it on wrong?”  Steve is self-conscious now.

“UH…no you definitely didn’t put it on wrong.” He gets up and moves around Steve, looking from every angle.  “Not wrong at all.  Jesus Steve, you were made for this.”

Steve chuckles. “Considering you made me in a lab a few days ago…”  It makes Tony laugh too.  “Does it look okay?  I’m not going to the gym if I look like an idiot.”

“Oh…not only are you going to the gym, I’m going with you just to see the look on everyone’s face when you walk in.”

They make their way down a few floors to the gym and Tony is not oblivious to how Steve is being drooled over, but Steve being Steve is completely oblivious. When the gym door opens and Steve walks in, it takes only a few seconds for all training to come to a stop.  Every pair of eyes fall on Steve, but Bucky’s are the only ones he cares about.  Bucky seems frozen in place.  He’s panting, but Tony suspects it’s not from training.  Steve sees the look too and blushes furiously.  “Uh…hey Buck.”

Bucky glares at everyone else in the gym and comes to Steve, taking his hands. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph Stevie, ya look like a walking dream.  An honest to god super hero.”

Tony preens. “Say hello to Captain America.”

 

The mock battle in the gym takes on a life of its own when most of the Avengers and some of the SHIELD agents join in. Natasha is awed by Steve, but suggests that at some point he use a weapon.  That comment sticks with Tony.  Steve and Bucky move together like they share a brain and no matter how hard the others try, separating them is next to impossible.  Afterwards, Tony takes the entire team out for dinner, including Pepper because like it or not, they all consider her part of the team.  She actually likes it quite a bit.

“Okay Cap, what do you say? Wanna be an Avenger?”  Clint willingly admitted earlier that he’s pretty sure he’s bi now.  Between Steve and Bucky he’s started questioning his own sexual compass and Sam nearly chokes on his dinner.

“I’m glad I’m not the only one. Barnes was already making me doubt my attractiveness, but Steve…”  He doesn’t finish and all heads are nodding in understanding.

The conversation turns back to the question and Steve flushes and doesn’t know what they want to hear. “Steve, if you don’t want to join, it’s okay, but if you are okay with it, I’d like to help out on the team.”

Steve beams at him. “Buck, that’s awesome.  I really wanted this for you.”  He looks at everyone else.  “I want to, but I don’t know if I’m good enough to be a part of the Avengers.”

The whole table erupts into laughter. It’s Natasha that finally speaks.  “Listen Steve, we’ve all talked about this after seeing you in the gym.  We think it would be good for everyone.”

“Yeah, but…” Steve furrows his brow and looks at Bucky. 

“What? What’s got you worried?”  Bucky seems concerned and nervous for him.

“The gym is one thing, but an actual battle is something different. I’m not trained for that kind of thing.”  As Steve finishes Bucky nods in understanding, but before he can reply, Clint breaks in.

“Cap, I was in the circus before this. Do you think that I was prepared for what my first battle was going to be like?  I could barely wash clothes on my own and SHIELD wanted me to fight terrorists.”  He looks at Steve earnestly.

“And don’t forget, if I didn’t have my suit do you really think I’d be out there fighting?” Tony found himself through his trauma, he’s a good man, who wants to do good, but he’s also a realist when it comes to his physical ability.

“I guess you’re right.” Steve looks up and everyone is looking at him expectantly, but he only has eyes for the man that he loves.  “I’m in, if you are.”  Bucky leans in and kisses him.  “I have one stipulation though.”

Bucky grins. “What’s that?”

“I don’t fight even one battle until we actually get married.” Several people ‘awww’ at that, but it’s done so sarcastically that Steve throws his napkin at Tony’s head.  “You guys are all assholes.”

“It’s good you know that going in. Most people don’t.”  The table cracks up and Tony looks exceptionally pleased with himself.


End file.
